Folding egg case or crate.



. F. F. LEE.

FOLDING EGG CASE 0R CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, 1914.

1,165,885. Patented Deo. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FJ". LEE;

FOLDiNG EGG CASE OR CRATE.

APPLICATION HLED MMLYz, 1914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. F. LEE.

FOLDING EGG c/IsE 0R CRATE.

Patented Dee. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W I II coLuMxA PLANDGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

FRANCIS F. LEE, OF LEIGH, NEBRASKA.

.FOLDING EGG CASE 0R CRATE.

Application med March as', 1914.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS F. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leigh, in the county of Colfax, State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Folding Figg Cases or Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

.This invention relates to folding receptacles and has special reference to a folding crate adapted for transporting eggs or any other articles desired.

rfhe principal object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified crate arranged in a novel manner so that when folded the parts which fold down on the base or bottom of the crate will be securely locked and held against accidental displacement and injury.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of folding side for such a crate connected to the bottom in an improved manner.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate fully opened. Fig. 2 is a similar view show ing the crate at the beginning of the closing operation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the front folded down and the back and lid up. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the front and back folded fully down but the lid still raised. Fig. 5' is a transverse section of the crate when opened. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the crate in its open position. Fig. 7 is a section taken transversely of the crate when fully closed. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the closed crate.

In the construction of a crate in accordance with this invention there is first of all provided a bottom 10 of the usual rectangu- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1915.

Serial No. 327,894.

Vbelow the upper edges of the side strip 11.

Secured to the end pieces 12, which are lower than the side pieces 11, are the upper or folding ends 17, which are connected by means of a spring hinge 18. Moreover each of these ends is provided with a folding bail 19.

Now it will be observed that the partition 16 can be folded down closely into the bottom of the box and that the ends 17 can likewise be folded down into the bottom of `the box, one of the ends lying on top of the piece 16. Furthermore these ends are of such height that when folded they do not quite meet. At 19 is a folding front and extending from opposite ends to this folding front piece'are certain pins 20 which pass through the front slots 14: of the end plates 13. This construction permits the front piece to be folded down after the ends have been folded in as previously described and then to be moved inward so that it lies down against said end pieces and holds them from rising up under the influence of their strain. The front piece is thus pivotally and slidably connected to the end members. lt is also to be noted that when the front piece is folded down and slid toward the back of the box it drops down owing to the shape of the slot 14, as it moved toward the back. At 20 is a back piece which is connected to the back slot 14 by the pins 21 and on this back piece is a sliding clip 22 which is adapted to engage a pin 23 on the center of the partition board 16. Furthermore this hack piece is also capable of being folded down like the front piece and then slid forward so that it moves downward and presses against the front piece when in folded position. Moreover the back piece has hinged to the upper edge thereof a top 23, the hinge being so arranged as to allow the top to lie fiat against the back of the back piece. Furthermore this top, when the back piece is folded and slid forward fits within the plates 13 so that it completes the nesting of the box. In order to hold the box locked in nested position there are provided at each end certain spring clips 24C which are attached by one end to the respective end plate 13 and have the other end bent so as to extend inward over the top when the latter is infolded position. Each of the ends 17 has an upwardly projecting lug 25 formed on its edge and this lug is arranged to be received in an opening 26 formed in a plate 27 secured to the top piece so that when the top piece or lid is closed the ends are securely locked from any inward or outward movement. Furthermore it is to be noted that when the box is folded the sliding clip 22 engages over the bottom edge of the front 19 thus assisting in the locking. In order to hold the top closed thetop hinges extend across as indicated at 27 and have eyes 28 formed in their front ends which project slightly over the front edge of the top. The front 19 is in like manner provided with braces 29 which have eyes 30 formed in the top end thereof, said eyes 30 being arranged to aline with the eyes 28 when the top is closed. A rod 31 extends through the alined eyes and thus forms a lock for the box.

There has thus been provided a simple and eiiicient device of the kind described and of the character specified.

It will be obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form and Construction of this invention without depart-- ing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to Confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is wished to include all such as come properly within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

A folding crate comprising a bottom, a

front and back, and ends, plates located at the ends of the bottom and having upwardly and outwardly inclined slots formed therein, said ends, and front and back being hingedly associated with the bottom, pins carried by the ends of the front and back for vertical sliding movement in the slots, a partition pivotally associated with the 'bottom and having a pin on its upper edge, a clip slidably supported by the back and adapted to' Copies of this patent may be obtained `for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. C. 

